About us
Operators first
Most blockchain trade platforms are built by technologists who studied the problem. We are operators who lived it. Every product we run solves the same underlying question: how do you create certainty between parties who have no reason to trust each other?
Principals
The people accountable for it
James Silva
Founder and Chief Executive
Forty two years of experience including a senior career across the United States Coast Guard and the Department of Homeland Security, managing national maritime systems, port and facility compliance, and incident response policy. Technical background across applied AI, computer vision, cybersecurity and blockchain, with direct relationships across several digital asset exchange operators.
Stefan De Motte
Operating Partner
Runs sales, marketing, risk, compliance, quality and trade structuring. A mechanical and aviation engineer, University of Swansea, and a specialist in quality and risk management in regulated industries. Six years brokering physical cargoes across oil, gas and petroleum derivatives, foodstuffs and precious metals, with working counterparty relationships at all four trading hubs.
Jernaus Britto
Executive Managing Partner
Thirty years as a finance professional and chief financial officer across multinational corporations, with deep enterprise resource planning experience spanning finance, sales, manufacturing, payroll and human resources, and command of United Arab Emirates tax law and external audit.
Technical and delivery team
The people who build and ship
Nielsen Castelo
Artificial intelligence
David Smith
Infrastructure and security
Senior Microsoft infrastructure consultant across major server design and administration programmes, latterly in security, with extensive Payment Card Industry standards experience.
Roberto Medeiros
Cybersecurity and systems
Computer engineer with thirty two years in IT. Systems analysis, network infrastructure, server administration and cybersecurity across both defensive and offensive roles.
Niklas Alemark
Blockchain and architecture
Over twenty years in software project management, business process optimisation and system architecture. Currently consulting on blockchain development with smart contracts.
Alvaro Tavares
Full stack engineering
Secure and scalable web applications, full stack architecture, containerised deployment and modern front end frameworks.
Joseph Avakian
Design & Communication
Four decades in design and digital communication. Founder of JA COMM. Client list includes Mercedes-Benz, Deutsche Telekom and Bosch.
Supported by doctorate level AI scientists in Brazil, India, UAE and the United States, engaged per project, and blockchain engineers working on smart contract delivery.
Structure
Four companies, each where its job is done
CHAINLEAP
UNITED STATES
Parent, brand and the contracting entity.
OperationalCHAINLOCKR
EL SALVADOR
The technology arm, under the innovation tax regime.
OperationalCHAINTRDR
EL SALVADOR
The FinTech arm holding crypto, settlement and trade licensing.
In setupOFFSETFI
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
The commercial and sales entity for the Gulf market.
PlannedWhy El Salvador
All crypto is legal, the currency is the US dollar, and there is a free trade agreement with the United States. The Digital Assets Issuance Law provides a written framework for regulated token issuance, and digital asset holdings carry no capital gains, income or value added tax.
Counsel and banking
Legal counsel engaged in the United States, El Salvador, Brazil and Paraguay. Banking established in the United States, El Salvador and Brazil. Corporate, licensing and banking documentation available at the appropriate stage of due diligence.